Match holder and dispenser.



l A. EMON. MATCH HOLDER AND DISPENSER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I3 IBI?.

Patented Mar. 26, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

A. EATON.

MATCH HOLDER AND DISPENSER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I3. 1917.

Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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ANTON EATON, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO VJOI-IN ERICSON, OF NEWYORK, N. Y.

MATCH HOLDER AND DISPENSER.

Laconia.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 26, lidad.

Application filed September 13, 191'?. Serial No. 191,099.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTON EATON, a citi zen of Switzerland, residing inthe city of New York, borough and county of Queens, in the State of NewYork, have invented a certain new'and useful Improvement in MatchHolders and Dispensers, ci' which the `following is a speciiication.

The invention relates to match dispensers in which a single match isseparated from the main supply and conveniently presented for removal.

The object of the invention is to provide a dispenser of simpleconstruction, operated by the act or" removing the presented match topresent a succeeding match, which shall oder a safe receptacle for asupply of such matches, and shall operate reliably.

The invention consists in certain novel features and details ofconstruction by which the above objects are attained, to be hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

The accompanying drawings form a part ot' this specification and showthe invention as it has been carried out in practice.

Figure l is a. front elevation of the im-,

proved dispenser, shown as carrying a match presented in its slide, withcertain portions broken away to show the parts beyond.

Fig. 2 is a corresponding vertical -section, partly in elevation. Thedotted lines show the condition of the parts in removingV a match.

Fig. 3 is an approximately horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 inFig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of a swinging shield, the walls of thereceptacle in which the shield is mounted being shown in verticalsection.

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the dispenser, corresponding to Fig. l. l

Fig. (i is a similar view with certain portions broken away and partlyin vert-ical section.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the iigures.

The device is preferably of sheet metal and comprises two main portions,a stationary casing serving as a :trame and as a receptacle for thesupply of matches, and a movable carrier or slide mounted and guided inthe stationary portion and carrying the presented match in position forremoval.

The stationary portion consists of two sides A A widened at the upperends and joined by a curved bottom and front A2 and a back A1 to form areceptacle a for the supply of matches M which lie transversely thereinparallel with each other.

The lower parts of the sides extend downwardly from the receptacle inthe form of wings and are shaped to provide nearly vertical grooves orways a1 r1.1 on each side extending angularly upward and rearward intothe bottom of the receptacle a. The back A1 is vertical at its upperportion, and its lower portion extends angularly parallel with the waysa1 al part way to the bottom of the receptacle. The opening thus formedin the rear lower portion of the receptacle a is controlled by a movablehollow slide mounted in the ways a1 a1 and having its interiordimensions such as to permit a single row or series of horizontallydisposed matches to lie transversely therein one upon the other. Theupper portion of the front plate B of the slide is omitted and iscorrespondingly shorter than the back plate B1 so that when the slide isat the limit of its downward movement the upper edge of the plate Bmatches to or lies a little below the bottom of the receptacle andmatches from the supply in the latter may thus enter, while the longerback plate B1 lying upon the back A1 of the receptacle forms aback wallincreasing in length as the slide is moved downward.

Between the wings A A in rear of the slide, parallel with but separatedtherefrom, is a fixed brace A3 extending downwardly and terminating` ina rearwardly curved lip A4.

On the back A1 is a hook C1 and on the rear plate B1 of the slide is asimilar hook C2 serving as points of attachment for a retractile springC exerting its force to hold the slide normally upward, and D is a cushion Xed on the back A1, against which a lug B2 on the rear face of theslide is received and the upward movement of the slide limited, and theshock of impact due to the sudden release of the slide is softened.

A stop A5 on the brace A3 is struck by the same lug B2 and limits thedownward movement of the slide.

The mechanism for presenting the single match is mounted on the rearface of the slide and is actuated mainly by means carried on the braceA3. E E are yielding arms secured to the rear plate B1 of the slide andextending nearly to the lower end of the latter and terminating inoutwardly curyed ends reaching` into the interior of slide and adaptedto hold the presented match M against escaping through the `opendelivery mouth of the slide. These arms have a slight tendency to retainthe match but are held stiiiiy in position when the slide is in theraised position, by branches El lil on their rear faces lying in Contactwith the front face of the brace A3 and resist strongly any downwardpullV 0n the match, but when theslide is moved downwardly by such pull asufhcient distance, the branches El lillpass the curved lip ofthe braceand as theyl are then no longer supported permit the slight resistanceof the arms EF to be overcome and the match withdrawn through the openmouth ofthe Slide.

The series of matches in the slide is supported by engaging thelowerinost by a'pair of toothed fingers F2 extending through slots b bin the rear plate B1; the lingers are bent forwardly at opposite ends ofa bridge F1 mounted on slight fiat springs F F secured to the plate B1Vparallel with the arms E E. The tendency of the springs F F is vtorelease the match held by the lingers F2 against the inner face of thefront plate ll of the slide, but thc lingers are forced into suchengagement when the slide is in the raised position, by stronger springsG G mounted on the brace A3, but on the descent of the slide the springsF F pass beyond the springs G Gr and the influence of their strengeropposition, and the fingers F2 F2 are then free to retract and releasethe engaged match. n

Secured to the rear plate B1 of the slide, outside of and parallel withthe yielding arms E E, are spring strips l-I H terminating in forwardlycurved arms-HISH1 adapted to enter slots b1 b1 provided in the plate B1and lying a little below the toothed fingers F2. The tendency of thespring strips ll-l H is to retract the ends H1 H1 from their slots, andthey are thus held retracted when the slide is in the raised position,butwhen the latter is moved downward the strips contact with fixed camsurfaces A A ai ranged in their paths along the brace .Af and by ridingupon such cams their ends are forced into the interior of the slideimmediately below the match held by the toothed lingers.Y V p The platesB and B1 are deeply notched at the lower ends te permit the finger andthumb to be inserted in grasping the presented match held bv the arms 'EE and lying across the notch 1 as shown in Figs. l and 6.

Suspended on, oppositely placed pins J on the inner faces of the sides AA of the receptacle, is a swinging shield J1 having its Vfree lower edgecurved'rearwardly and covering the opening at the back ofthe receptaclet but separated from such back.

.lts rearward swing is .limited bypins or stops J2 on the sides EIA.,and on its rear tace is meunteda guard plate J3 provided with a verticalslot ,7' through which Vpasses a rivet J4 by which the guard is hield to1 the shield with liberty to rise or sink relatively thereto. The loweredge of the guard is bent rearwardly to forni a flange y2 eX- tendinginto the slide the front plate B. Y

The operation is as 'followsze-Assuming the slide' to besuppliedl with aseiies of matches and in the elevated position shown by the full linesin 1F 1,' and 'a matchheld and presented vat the notched lower end otthe slide by the yielding arms EF, it will be seen thatthe series of.matches isfheld against descendingV by gravity by the engagement of thelowermost match ofthe Vforced engagement by ,the stronger 'the slots b11 into the interior Vof-thf-yslide ready to support the'V series ofmatches, and an instant'later, by the continued downward atthe upper endaboveV sie" movement of the slide, the Vflat springs F F pass' out ofthe influence of the stronger springsV G G, permitting the fingers F2 F2to retract and'release their engaged match, and the seriesdescends untilarrested by the ends l-ll lill of the strips H H. I

The. withdrawal of the presentedmatch releases the slide and it is againdrawn upward by the spring C. lThe upward movenient first engages thebraiichesFi1 El with the face of the brace A2 andY by reinforcing triearms E E effectua-lly closes the delivery mouth of the slide, a furtherupward movement engages the lingers F2 F2 with the match next above vthelowermost ofthe series through the actionV of the strong springs G Goli-the fiat springs F F, thus securely holding the superposed matchesof the series, and a "slight further upward movement permits the stripsH'H to leave the camsAG AG, thus releasing the lower# Y most match whichimmediately falls byV gravity until arrested bythe arms E E inV theVpresented p position. Thus the withdrawal'of each presented matchactuates the mechanism and presents av succeeding match.

VAt the downward movement of the. slide its upper end ispresented to thesupply in 'matches fed thereto from said receptacle,

'means actuated by a reverse movement of Vsaid slide for engaging asucceeding match match, and yielding means for retaining iiimatchliberated from said series and preented for removal, said slide arrangedto be noved in one direction by the removal of such presented match, aspring for moving aid slide in the other direction, and means actuatedby the movements of said slide for liberating and presenting thesucceeding owermost match of such series in position or removal.

5. :in a device of the character set forth, casing, a receptacle formatches therein, Ways in said casing, a hollow slide mounted to move insaid Ways and adapted to conain a series of superposed matches fedhereto from said receptacle, and to present a match from such seriesatthe deli 1, I, mouth of said slide, the latter arranged to be movedinone direction by the removal 'of such presented match, a. spring formoving said slide in the opposite direct-ion, and

the receptacle in a position favorable to the replenishing of the seriescarried by the slide, and the function performed by the shield J1 andits guard plate J3 is to main tain parallelism of the matches at theentrance to the slide, to insure uniformity of supply at that point inthe receptacle, and to prevent crowding about such entrance liable tointerfere with the movements of the slide. ,B3 B3 are lugs on the outerface of the plate B of the slide, for moving the latter to initiate theoperation, and L is a cover for the receptacle, hinged to the back A andhaving a flange L1 adapted to be sepa l rably engaged at the front by aspring latch L2 on the interior of the receptacle. j illthough theinvention is vdesigned fora dispensing matches and is thus shown anddescribed, it Will be understood it Will serve successfully indispensing other articles of analogous character to which it may befadapted. i

i claim l. In a device of the character set forth,l a casing, areceptacle therein adapted to con-lf' tain a supply of matches, a hollowslide? adapted to contain a series of superposedf matches fed theretofrom said receptacle,l and means carried by said slide and actuated bythe movements of the latter, for presenting a match from such series atthe delivery mouth of said slide.

2. ln a device of the character set forth, a casing, a receptacletherein adapted to contain a supply of matches, a holloar slide adaptedto contain a series of superposed slide for liberating and presentingthe succeeding lower-most match of said series in position for removal.

6. ln a device of the character set forth, a. casing, a receptacle formatches therein, Ways in said casing, a hollow slide mounted to move insaid ways and adapted to contain a series of snperposed matches fedthereto from said receptacle, yielding arms on said slide closing thedelivery mouth of said slide and holding a match presented for removal,fingers on said slide for engaging a match in such series, spring stripson said slide adapted to enter said slide and support such series, andmeans actuated by the movements of said slide for operating said fingersand strips.

7. ln a device of the character set forth, a casing, a match receptacletherein, a. hollow slide adapted to contain a series of superposedmatches fed thereto from said receptacle, and spring actuated fingerscarried by said slide, arranged to engage or release a match of suchseries by the Inovements of said slide.

8. ln a device of the character set forth, a casing, a match receptacletherein, a hollow slide adapted to contain a series of snperposedmatches fed thereto from said receptacle, spring fingers carried by saidslide and arranged to enter or Withdrav7 from said slide to engage orrelease a match in such series and actuated by the movements of saidslide, and spring strips arranged to enter said slide below said lingersand support such series when said fingers are Withdrawn.

9. In a device of the character set forth, a casing, a match receptacletherein, a hollow slide adapted to contain a series of superposedmatches received from said receptacle, spring ngers carried by saidslide and arranged to enter or Withdraw from said slide to engage orrelease the means carried by said slide and actuated by the movementthereof in one direction for engaging the loWermost match of suchseries, and means actuated by a reverse movement of said slide forengaging a succeeding match in such series and liberating such lowermostmatch.

3. In a device of the character set fort-h, a casing, a receptacletherein adapted to contain a supply of matches, a holloiv slide adaptedto contain a series of superposed matches fed thereto from saidreceptacle, means carried by said slide and actuated by the movementthereof in one direction for engaging the lowermost match of suchseries,

in such series and liberating such lowermost such liberated match insaid slide and presenting it for removal.

4. in a device of the character set forth, a casing, a receptacletherein adapted to contain a supply of matches, a hollow slide adaptedto contain a series of superposed matches fed thereto from saidreceptacle, yielding means for retaining in said slide a means actuatedby the movements of said' lowermost match of such series and actuated bythe movements of said slide, spring strips arranged to enter said slidebelow said fingers and support such seriesfwhen said fingers arewithdrawn, with the next succeeding match of such series in` position tobe engaged by said fingers, means actuated by the movements of saidslide for operating said strips, and yielding arms at the delivery mouthof said slide adapted to receive and retain the lowern'iost match ofsaid series when liberated by the withdrawal of said strips, and presentsuch liberated match in position for removal.

l0. In a device of the character set forth, a caeing, a match receptacletherein, a hollow slide adapted to contain a series of superposedmatches fed thereto from said receptacle, spring fingers carried by saidslide and arranged to enter or withdraw from said slide to engage orrelease the lowermost match of such series and actuated by the movementsof said slide5 spring strips carried by said slide and arranged to enteror withdraw from said slide below said fingers, and cams on said casingin the paths of said strips, arranged to bestrnck by the Vlatter toactuatesaid strips;

1l. In a device of the character set forth,

a casing, a match receptacle therein, a hols low slide adapted tocontain a series of superposed matches received Vfrom saidreceptacle,means actuated by the movements of said slide for liberatingsuccessively theV 'ANTON EATON.,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. l

